Toy building



June 8, 1937.

M. H. INCE TOY BUILDING Filed July 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A iiomeys M. H. INCE TOY BUILDING June 8, 193 7.

Filed July 25, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor Attorneys Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY BUILDING Mark H. Ince, Cambridge, Mass. Application July 25, 1936, Serial No. 92,647

1 Claim. (01. 464-12) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in. toy buildings and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a structure of this character embodying a plurality of floors, a miniature elevator operable in a shaft to said floors, together with novel means for actuating and controlling said elevator.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a toy building of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, attractive in appearance, highly amusing and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a view in rear elevation of a toy building constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section through the base structure, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the base structure, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in vertical section through the invention, taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail view in perspective of the bracket in which the elevator drive shaft is journaled.

Figure 7 is a detail view in front elevation of one of the small figures which may be used with the building. I

Figure 8 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure. 5.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a hollow base of any suitable dimensions. The hollow base I is preferably of metal but, of course, said base may be of any suitable material. Rising from one of the marginal portions of the base is a tower 2 which is divided at vertically spaced points by horizontal partitions 3 representing floors. The top 4 of the tower 2 may be equipped to represent a roof garden. At one end of the tower 2, is' an elevator shaft 5 which rises above said tower and which is providedwith a removable cap 6. The'elevator shaft 5 communicates with the different floors. or stories- 3 of the tower 2. Further, the tower 2 and the shaft 5 are open at their front, as illustrated to advantage in Figures 5 and 8 of the drawings. The reference numeral 1 designates a car which is operable in the shaft 5.

Mounted in the base is a spring motor 8 which is wound through the medium of a key 9 which extends through the top of said base The motor 8 drives a horizontal shaft l0 which is journaled in a bracket H in the base A drum I2 is rotatably and slidably mounted on one end portion of the shaft ID. A clutch face I 3 is provided on one end of the drum l2 for engagement with disks M which are fixed on the shaft ID for frictionally driving said drum. The reference numeral I5 designates a hand lever which is pivotally connected to the bottom of the base and which is operable in a slot l6 which is provided therefor in the top of said base i. The shaft I0 passes through an opening I? which is provided therefor in the hand lever l5 at an intermediate point. A coil spring I 8 yieldingly urges the lever l5 against the adjacent end of the drum I2, one end of said coil spring resting against the bracket II. It will thus be seen that the drum I2 is normally frictionally connected to the shaft H] for actuation thereby.

A brake I9 is fixed on the shaft ID. A brake lever 2| is pivotally mounted on the bottom of the base 2 and is operable in a slot 22 which is provided therefor in the top of said base A shoe 23 is provided on the brake lever 2| for engagement with the brake IS. The reference numeral 24 designates a coil spring which is connected to the brake lever 2| for frictionally engaging the shoe 23 with the brake l9.

Secured to the drum l2 for winding thereon is a cable 25 for raising and lowering the car i. The cable 25 is trained over suitable guide rollers or pulleys. 26 which are provided therefor in the base and the elevator shaft 5. This is shown to advantage in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings. It will be observed that the car is provided with a diagonal corner portion 21 which accommodates the cable 25.

The reference numeral 28 (see Figure 7) designates a miniature figure, any suitable number of which may be placed in the car and on the floors 3 of the building. The figures 28 are of any suitable material, such as rubber, and said figures comprise bases 29.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The shaft I0 is released for actuation by the spring motor 8 by swinging the lever 2| against the tension of the spring 24 for disengaging the shoe 23 from the brake l9. Of course, the shaft I!) may be stopped when desired by simply releasing the brake lever 21 and permitting the spring 24 to function. As the drum I2 is driven by the shaft In the cable 25 is wound thereon in a manner to lift the car 1 in the shaft 5. When the lever I5 is actuated against the tension of the spring I8 the drum I2 is disconnected from the shaft It! thus permitting the car 1 to drop by gravity.

It is believed that the many advantages of a toy building constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A toy building of the class described comprising, in combination, a substantially flat, hollow base, a tower rising from the rear marginal portion of said base, said tower including vertically spaced horizontal partitions representing floors, an elevator shaft rising from the base at one end of the tower and communicating with the floors, said elevator shaft and the tower being open at their front, a car operable in the elevator shaft, a motor mounted in the base, a drive shaft connected to the motor for actuation thereby, a drum rotatably and slidably mounted on said drive shaft, coacting clutch elements on said drum and said drive shaft for releasably connecting the former to the latter for actuation thereby, a cable windable on the drum and connected to the car for raising and lowering said car, a hand lever pivotally mounted in the base and having an opening therein, the drive shaft extending through said opening, a coil spring encircling the drive shaft and engaged with the hand lever for actuating the same toward the drum for engaging the clutch elements, and means for braking the drive shaft.

MARK H. INCE. 

